Maximising Your Earning Potential (part 3)

Consistency in terms of job offers and earning an acceptable income with gradual promotional opportunities is good. But achieving your maximum earning potential is great! This is the difference between having a job and having a career. This is the third in a series of four articles that explains how to increase your earning potential:Part 1: lifelong learningPart 2: positive thinkingPart 3: goal settingPart 4: above and beyondGoal settingBeing sure of what you want to achieve will help you to direct your attention towards what is important and draw it away from things that might detract from your most productive career path. The ability to take pride in your successes will build your confidence and motivation, and as your personal development improves, your earning potential will too. Having a firm idea of the achievements you intend to accomplish over your lifetime and taking the time to write them down and prioritise them will enable you to identify smaller steps you must take in order to reach these. Setting yourself short-term targets and completing these within a realistic but precise timeframe will increase the confidence you have in your own abilities and provide regular reassurance that you are maximising your earning potential. Targets could be to improve relationships with work colleagues that you normally spend little time with; to discuss your achievements with more individuals as part of your networking strategy; or to ensure that the next company you work for will offer training as part of its commitment to your ongoing professional development. Whatever your targets are, ensure that you are 100% committed to achieving them.Think about the parts of your career development that will have the greatest effect on your earning potential and aim to improve upon areas of weakness. Doing this will result in a gradual but steady overall improvement in your capabilities and therefore an increase in your earning potential. You will only achieve a salary or rate that accurately reflects this if you are able to show potential employers how all of the skills you have acquired will benefit them.